March 02, 2011

Where Were We Before Social Networks?

by Darla

Yes... it's been awhile, no... I'm not going to give a reason for my absence, however, I will extend yet another apology.

It occured to me today... I guess with all the news about Charlie Sheen and his new Twitter account. Or maybe it was that new phone service commercial where the mom so casually asks her daughter if she needed help in composing a tweet. With all of these things going on... I'm wondering just where the heck we were before social networks?

When I first started blogging text messaging was the thing and being able to keep in touch via text was a main focus. Having my sms forwarded or connected to my computer via an application was just the coolest thing developed. There was no Twitter or Facebook.

Since the introduction of Facebook I have managed to reconnect with tons of people from my hometown, school, old neighborhood... and just think, I thought Classmates was cool back when I first stumbled across it. When I first joined Facebook it was only to network with the large groups of people that I had met within Nokia and companies that I've dealt with. LinkedIn was more of a professional outlet, whereas FB was more social and personal. Add in a connection to Twitter and Flickr and even more sharing begins.

I'm definitley thankful for the existance of sites such as Facebook, Twitter and the likes... but now as I'm hounded on a daily basis by my 11 year old son begging for his own account just so he can keep in contact with his classmates whom he sees daily... the question hits me again.... where were we before social networks?

I think before social networks like Facebook people were losing their friends and so they didn't have as many people to get in touch with. But you are right, back then, text messaging was the trend. Almost everyone is thankful to Facebook for bringing their old friends close together.